For daily up to date examples and advice on how to do well in A Level Politics, make sure to follow the Politics Explained TikTok.

For detailed videos going through all of the A Level Politics content, make sure to follow the Politics Explained YouTube Channel.

All of the below examples will be added to the updated textbooks and detailed essay plans (where relevant/better than the existing examples) on the Politics Explained website, which are both updated regularly.

Find full lists of recent examples (UK Politics, UK Government and US Politics and Government) from the past year in our 📋 2026 example packs!

UK Politics Examples

Political Parties

Gorton and Denton By-Election - Example Of A Multi-Party System: 

• On 27 February 2026, the Green Party of England and Wales secured its first-ever Westminster by-election victory in the Gorton and Denton by-election, winning 40.7% of the vote. There was a 27.5% swing from Labour to the Greens, overturning a majority of 13,413.

  • The Green candidate, 34-year-old plumber Hannah Spencer, won 40.69% of the vote - 12 points ahead of Reform UK candidate Matt Goodwin, who finished second with 28.73%. (doubling their vote share), Labour’s Angeliki Stogia came third on 25.44%. 

    • Meanwhile, both the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats polled under 2%, losing their deposits.

  • Labour had held the seat since its creation more than 90 years ago. 

Multi-Party System:

• This is a clear example of the multi-party system developing in the UK. For the first time in an English Westminster by-election, candidates from two parties other than Labour or the Conservatives placed first and second. 

  • The collapse in support for the two main parties, combined with the rise of the Greens and Reform UK, suggests increasing electoral fragmentation.

Tactical Voting:

• This also shows the growing role of tactical voting. Campaign websites encouraged voters in Gorton and Denton to vote strategically to prevent a less desirable candidate from winning. 

  • Significant tactical coordination is currently focused on blocking Reform UK. In the by-election, major tactical sites like Tactical.vote and StopReformUK.vote urged supporters to back the Green Party as the best hope to defeat Reform.

Representation:

• The by-election took place after Labour MP Andrew Gwynne was suspended from the Labour Party because of offensive messages he had written on WhatsApp. 

  • This shows how Parliament is effective in representing the electorate, as voters were able to remove a party previously dominant in the seat and elect a new representative. 

    • The large swing illustrates that constituents can respond decisively when dissatisfied, reinforcing that Parliament effectively represents the electorate because MPs ultimately depend on voter support to remain in office.

• Further, the election of Hannah Spencer demonstrates the increasing descriptive representation of Parliament. In 2022, only 7% of all MPs had a working-class background, compared to 40% of voters. Spencer is a plumber and has had a manual trade since leaving school aged 16. 

  • Therefore, her election improves descriptive representation in Parliament. 

Rights In Context

The High Court Ruling On Palestine Action - Example Of Rights Protection:

• On February 13, 2026, the High Court ruled that the government’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000 was unlawful. 

  • In R (Ammori) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (2026), the Court held that the Secretary of State exceeded her power to proscribe under section 3 of the Act (meaning the decision was ‘ultra vires’). 

    • It further ruled that the proscription unlawfully breached Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protect freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. 

  • The court held that proscription ‘entailed a very significant interference with Convention rights’ including the criminalisation of expressions of support for Palestine Action and the suppression of protest and political speech.

• Because the ruling concerned a government decision rather than primary legislation, the Court was able to quash the policy outright and overturn the ban. 

• This shows how Parliamentary legislation and the judiciary are significant in protecting rights in the UK. 

  • Courts can ensure that ministers act within the limits of the powers granted to them by Parliament, and play a crucial role in protecting civil liberties and preventing executive overreach, particularly where counter-terrorism powers risk being used to suppress political activism.

• This also shows the ability of pressure groups to defend rights in the UK by initiating legal action. 

  • The judicial review was brought by Huda Ammori, a co-founder of the group, with support from Liberty and Amnesty International. 

    • Both organisations were granted permission to intervene and provide evidence to assist the Court, using the courts as a mechanism for holding the executive to account and safeguarding fundamental freedoms.

UK Government Examples

Parliament

Government Accepts Lords Amendments To The Employment Rights Bill - Example of the House of Lords' Influence:

• In 2025, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was forced to make several U-turns on the flagship Employment Rights Act 2025, which received royal assent on the 18th of December 2025, after facing resistance in the House of Lords. 

  • In December 2025, the government suffered 8 defeats on the Bill in the House of Lords. The central standoff between the government and peers was the original proposal to grant employees protection from unfair dismissal from day one of employment. 

• Two amendments were ultimately accepted after the Lords insisted on changes.

  • The Lords rejected the proposal for day-one protection from unfair dismissal and instead voted for a six-month qualifying period, which the government ultimately conceded to as a compromise. 

    • The chamber also insisted on amendments allowing workers to opt out of guaranteed hours provisions in order to remain on existing zero-hours contracts.

• The education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said there was a “very real prospect” that implementation of the legislation would have been delayed had the government not conceded on day-one dismissal protections.

  • This shows how the House of Lords can exert significant influence over legislation by defeating the government, proposing amendments and using its delaying power  to force reconsideration during “parliamentary ping-pong,” when legislation moves back and forth between the two Houses.

US Politics & Government Examples

Supreme Court

Learning Resources Inc. v. Trump (2026) - Case Study:

• On February 20, 2026, the Supreme Court issued a landmark 6–3 decision significantly limiting presidential authority to impose unilateral tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) 1977. The justices held that the tariffs introduced by President Donald Trump exceeded the powers delegated to the executive by Congress in the IEEPA, which allows the President to act in response to an “unusual and extraordinary threat” during a national emergency.

  • In 2025, Trump issued a series of executive orders imposing sweeping tariffs, including a general 10% tariff on all imports from other countries, and higher tariffs on dozens of countries (as high as 145% on China). 

  • Trump declared a national emergency to access the President’s emergency powers and justify the tariffs. 

The Supreme Court Isn't Politicised:

• This shows the Supreme Court isn’t politicised, but in fact practices judicial restraint and seeks to implement the constitution and laws as written. The Court’s decision, even with substantial political implications, is primarily rooted in legal interpretation and the application of constitutional principles, rather than political motivation.

  • The majority argued that Trump’s reliance on IEEPA to impose the tariffs violated the “major questions” doctrine, arguing that the executive cannot take actions of vast economic and political significance without clear and explicit authorisation from Congress. This upheld the Constitutional separation of powers. 

• Chief Justice John Roberts emphasised that IEEPA contains no reference to tariffs, duties, or taxation, and that unilateral imposition of tariffs requires clear congressional authorisation. 

The Judicial Appointments Process:

• This also highlights the independence of Supreme Court justices. Although three members of the Court had been appointed by Trump, two of them (Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch) joined Chief Justice Roberts and the three liberal justices in the majority.

  • The Supreme Court appointment process can therefore be seen as effective, and the court is not politicised, as Justices are independent and rule on the legality of issues as opposed to ideology. 

The Separation Of Powers:

• The ruling underscores the strength of the constitutional separation of powers in the United States. By invalidating the tariffs, the Court protected Congress’s constitutional authority over taxation and trade policy. 

  • The Constitution ensures that the President cannot unilaterally assume powers, implement policies or take executive actions that contravene constitutional provisions or established laws. 

    • This principle is upheld irrespective of the President's political affiliations or the composition of the Supreme Court. 

The Imperial Presidency: 

• However, following the ruling, Trump imposed a new 10% global tariff to replace ones struck down by the Supreme Court, calling the ruling “terrible” and the 6 Justices who ruled against him “fools”.

  • He imposed the new 10% tariff under a never-used law known as Section 122, which gives the power to put in place tariffs up to 15% for 150 days. 

    • This suggests there is an imperial presidency where the executive seeks to test constitutional boundaries and challenge the authority of the judiciary.

Limits To The Supreme Court's Power:

• This shows the weakness of the Supreme Court as a check, as they lack enforcement powers. 

  • Although the courts have the power to check and balance executive authority, they lack any means by which to enforce it and are reliant on cooperation by the other branches.